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In common vernacular the word meditation<\/em> conjures images of lucky people achieving the nearly impossible: stopping the endless stream of restless and uneasy thoughts that plague our minds on a daily basis.<\/p>\n In reality, meditation can be easy and anyone can benefit even from a 5-minute daily practice.<\/p>\n Meditation\u2019s health benefits are proved by decades-spanning research on its positive effects on blood pressure, immunity, cardiology, psychology and more. Even though our skeptical minds want a quadrillion explanations, these facts are hard to refute.<\/strong><\/p>\n Imagine you\u2019ve just returned home after a stressful workday. Your energy is failing you and you just want a nap\u2014but dinner needs to be made, another email to a client needs to be sent, and the laundry needs to be done, because you\u2019re out of clean shirts.<\/p>\n Not only do you feel overwhelmed by all the chores awaiting you, but you can\u2019t stop thinking about work issues that you\u2019d rather forget.<\/p>\n Then you sit in your bedroom with your eyes closed, practice a short technique and voila<\/em>\u2014you feel refreshed, your mind calmer.<\/p>\n What are thoughts?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n According to a 2005 article published by the National Science Foundation, a U.S. government agency promoting national health and science, we think between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day\u201480 percent of these are of a negative nature, while a whopping 95 percent are recycled, repetitive thoughts.<\/p>\n This explains why sometimes even a small difficulty can seem debilitating. In fact, we color the current experience with old interpretations\u2014or negativity bias<\/em>\u2014and as a result, we might miss a great opportunity.<\/p>\n Remarkably, meditation reduces stress, helps you become more aware of your thoughts and eliminates negativity. So even a short practice can help you create a life of peace, abundance and joy\u2014clearly a pretty impressive feat.<\/strong><\/p>\n After a short time from your first meditation, you notice the types of thoughts you host in your mind.<\/p>\n Yes, host<\/em>.<\/p>\n Did you know that we don\u2019t choose most of our thoughts? New studies, for example, show that genetics influence our thought process. The reverse is also true and your emotions influence your genetics, according to a Stanford<\/em> study.<\/p>\n The ancient yogis observed that we can create a disease in the body through negative thoughts, and we can restore good health through meditation.<\/p>\n In addition, according to both the Vedic and Siddha traditions of India, celestial bodies (planets, constellations and stars) are the main sources of your thoughts\u2014because they\u2019re celestial agents delivering the results of your karma<\/em>. So difficult planetary alignments lead to negative thought patterns.<\/p>\n Karma is, according to the ancient masters, the reason some people think abundant prosperity thoughts and others a vast number of self-defeating poverty thoughts.<\/p>\n So thoughts are mostly genetic (or soul genetics<\/em>, as Dr. Pillai calls this process), repetitive, negative, planetary, and in one word\u2014karmic<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Also, did you know that scientific research on thinking patterns\u2014Segerstrom et al., 2003; Segerstrom, Eisenlohr-Moul, & Evans 2010\u2014shows that repetitive thoughts are associated with higher stress levels?<\/p>\n Environment matters, too, and the thoughts you have in a beautiful, green park are very different from the thoughts you get in an industrial area busting with noisy machinery. And\u2014when you are calm and relaxed, you\u2019re more likely to get new, more creative thoughts, meaning you\u2019re better equipped to create the life you want.<\/p>\n Moreover, regardless of the source of your restless and negative thoughts, meditation can restore your well-being and bring you utter positivity\u2014the prerequisites for a happy life. So to help you build an easy meditation practice and eliminate stressful attempts that can delay its benefits, here for you seven easy steps to regaining peace of mind, enjoying better relationships, and improving your health\u2014all at once.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Give Yourself Silence<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Noise pollution is insidious. You might not be aware that much stress is generated by all-pervasive noise. Often these sounds turn into blank<\/em> noise of which you aren\u2019t fully conscious.<\/p>\n Have you ever ignored the background chatter from a TV screen\u2014like the news\u2014during your home activities? Perhaps, you felt a strange anxiety coming up, and when you turned the TV off, you realized you could breathe much better.<\/p>\n Noise adds up. Your refrigerator, media outlets, neighborhood, street traffic, sirens, lawn mowers and construction work can simultaneously vie for your eardrums.<\/p>\n So before starting your meditation give yourself plenty of silence. Close the windows. Turn off unnecessary appliances. Close the door, if someone is talking in another room.<\/p>\n 2. Give Yourself Comfort<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>The mind has a funny but distracting habit\u2014when you\u2019re trying to learn to meditate, it goes to an area of physical discomfort and settles there. So be as comfortable as possible.<\/p>\n Tight belts and clothes stress the body. As a result, the mind is affected, too. Even a wristwatch might be too tight. So if possible, wear some comfortable clothes and remove your shoes and tightly fitting jewelry.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been practicing yoga and you\u2019re comfortable sitting on the floor, use a large pillow and begin.<\/p>\n 3. Give Yourself Clarity<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n You already know this: after Thanksgiving or Diwali, your mind is foggy, while your body tries to assimilate the extra sweets and heavy dishes typical of our festivities.<\/p>\n Meditation is best done before eating. If you\u2019re very hungry, you can eat some fruit. Another option, if you aren\u2019t lactose intolerant or vegan<\/em>, is drinking a little milk.<\/p>\n That said, if all you have is 15 minutes after your lunch break, don\u2019t worry\u2014there isn\u2019t such a thing as a wasted meditation, because its benefits of meditation accumulate over time.<\/p>\n 4. Give Yourself Alertness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Sit on the most comfortable chair available. Lying down in bed is also a great option\u2014here, though, there\u2019s the risk of falling asleep. If you\u2019re very tired, that\u2019s fine. Just set a timer so you don\u2019t totally lose consciousness.<\/p>\n Rinsing your face with cool water can help you stay alert. Or, if you\u2019re used to caffeine, a small cup of green tea or coffee before your meditation can help you stay alert. Organic <\/em>is best, as much drowsiness can be caused by the toxicity of some chemicals in our foods and drinks.<\/p>\n 5. Give Yourself Trust\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Worrying that your meditation is too short, imperfect or disturbed by too many thoughts, can increase stress. More importantly, this fear doesn\u2019t reflect the truth.<\/p>\n Becoming aware of the many thoughts coming to you during meditation is, in fact, a form of meditation.<\/p>\n Trust that your meditation will calm your mind, bring more creativity and the fulfillment of your wishes.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0<\/strong>Give Yourself Tools<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Needless to say, some techniques of meditation are so advanced that they require higher states of consciousness or even full enlightenment. But for most of us, some traditional, super-easy techniques can be very helpful. Below is a short list.<\/p>\n You can choose one of the following meditation techniques and practice it with your eyes closed. For deeper relaxation and avoiding time concerns, it\u2019s a good idea to use a timer and choose the duration of your practice.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Closing your eyes and being in a darker room helps your brain produce DMT <\/em>(dimethyltryptamine)\u2014which is believed to lead to deeper states of meditation and better intuition. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist, explains that visualizing these higher beings or looking at their images lastingly activates significant parts of the brain that lead to deeper compassion and understanding.<\/p>\n Other practices can be done with your eyes open:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n 7. Give Yourself Blessings<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Another lesser known way meditation works, according to the ancient yogis, is by<\/em> proxy<\/em>\u2014or having another person practice a technique or ritual on your behalf to help you attain your goals. The results can be astounding. This method is based on the Vedic principle that everything in the universe is connected.<\/p>\n In the Vedic tradition, mantras recited by another person to benefit you, or a fire ritual performed after stating your name and birth star<\/em>\u2014the constellation where the Moon was positioned at your birth\u2014are believed to bring miracles of healing, prosperity and relationship.<\/p>\n Enjoy your meditation!<\/p>\n![\"2\"](\"https:\/\/www.pillaicenter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/2-300x169.jpg\")
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